The present invention relates to a method for producing inked embossed grooves on impregnated and precondensed design paper or similar base materials, by use of a metallic, surface textured pressure plate or a matching die consisting of an endless belt, whereby the die together with the design paper is pressed into a pressure package by pressure and heat application.
A method for manufacturing colored embossed design layers is known from DE-OS 2,357,831. According to this known method an amino plastic resin impregnated design layer in a printed or an inked condition is placed on a textured pressure plate. The design layer and the pressure plate comprise a pressure package which is placed inside a heat press and pressed together. By this method, the colored embossed designed layers are achieved by differing pressure application of the pressure plate, wherein during the melting process of the resin a transportation of the color pigment component takes place, resulting in a reduction of pigment in the zones of high pressure and a concentration of pigment in the zones of low pressure. The disadvantage of this method is that due to the resin in the design paper it is not possible to exactly predetermine the transportation of the color portion during the pressing of the package in the heat press. This leads to differing shades in the color in the paper and therefore an exact correspondence between the design and the texture of the pressure plate is not obtainable.
A further chemical embossing method for manufacturing decorative plates is known from DE-PS 1,942,780. According to this method before the resin impregnation of the upper surface, a plywood base provided with a design print causes the print color to be enriched with inhibitors. Thereby, since the impregnation of the design paper occurs after this printing is undertaken and that the printing colors used contain resin repelling ingredients, the impregnating layer has the ability to effectively protect the other portions of the design paper that are not covered with dye. By the associated pressing process, the die line covered impregnating layer is displaced or exposed by the inhibitors. This results in the following problem, by subsequent action of humidity, steam, acidity and similar conditions, the paper fibers are laid open because of the unreachable impregnation protection on the die markings which causes the design paper at these positions to swell.